Thursday, December 07, 2006

Today's post is the second installment of my holiday party fashion guide, focusing on separates. A lot of women don't like wearing dresses and feel more comfortable in pants or skirts, and you shouldn't feel like you have to wear a dress to a semi-formal or formal party. One great thing about separates is that you can get more bang for your buck by buying pieces that you can dress up or down depending on what you pair them with, so keep that in mind when you're shopping. A sequined tank top that looks fabulous with a pair of wide leg dress pants at a dinner party will look just as great when paired with jeans and boots for a night on the town.

Without further ado, here are some trends for holiday partywear:

Holiday colors: Bright, rich jewel tones are perfect for the season. You don't have to limit yourself to red and green though, any deep color will help you stand out from the sea of boring black. But make sure you wear only one item that's brightly colored or it'll be overwhelming. This bright blue silk blouse would look fabulous paired with black pants or a black pencil skirt, as would this cute red halter. I love that this flattering tank top comes in "starlet red". This silk halter comes in 6 colors, while this multi-purpose v-neck cashmere sweater comes in 12. Pairing a bright top with dark pants or skirt will draw attention to your face and upper body. Colorful pants or skirts (like this one draw attention down and add weight to your hips and thighs, which is good for women with athletic bodies, as it adds curves. Stay away from pale, neon or dull tones, which are less festive.

Rich fabrics: Don't shy away from luxurious fabrics like silk, satin, velvet, lace, brocade and cashmere. The key is not going overboard with the same fabric, like head to toe velvet. This sweet short-sleeved cashmere sweater would look perfect paired with a voluminous skirt. This silk halter top is very flattering with its ruching along the side. These satin trousers would look great with any of the colorful tops I just mentioned, or this super sexy stretch satin top. Lace skirts are timeless, and you can't go wrong with this pencil skirt or this dramatic pleated skit with lace detail.

Sparkle and shine: Embellishments can definitely dress up an outfit and make it more interesting, but don't go overboard. Simple gold detail at the neck of this beautiful blue top adds so much that you should avoid pairing it with any other detailed pieces. These flattering wool pants have a subtle shimmer, while the satiny waistband on this gabardine pencil skirt is just enough to make the skirt stand out. If you want to be bolder with your sparkle, try a sheer sequined tank top, like this one.

Up the volume- As I've mentioned many times, volume is a huge trend for fall, so have fun mixing and matching slim and wide pieces. A fitted tunic sweater with a dramatic cowl neck or a ruched empire waist top would look great with slim, bootcut pants and high heels. And this fluid, empire waist tunic is edgy but still sophisticated. You can feel like a ballerina in a knee-length tulle skirt, but don't pair it with anything else dancer-esque, or you'll look like you've come from performing Swan Lake. And don't be afraid of bubble skirts, many can be quite flattering. The key is that the part around your waist is fitted, and that it's widest at the bottom, around your knees, and not at your hips. Here is a beautiful example. You also have to make sure that your top is fitted, particularly at the waist.

Stay tuned for part 3 of the guide, where I'll discuss accessorizing. If you have any specific questions about what to wear with something, shoot me an e-mail!

2 comments:

pauline
said...

i've just started circuiting the fashion/makeup blog networks, and I found yours! I love your site and just wanted to let you know. i love the way your write, as well as the way you go about explaining things. i've probably spent 2-3 hours tonight just reading about 30 fashion blogs, and yours is really going into my favorite folder.

Also, when I read the following sentence, I knew it was meant to be (between my reading and your blog):